Innehållsförteckning för May 2022 från Smart Photography

At the outset, let me thank all stakeholders for the response to our ‘Anniversary Issue’ as also the SP Awards. The awards were released on the web a full ten days before the April print issue hit the stands and got a lot of attention. Some of our readers were a little agitated that a very expensive camera won the coveted ‘Camera of the Year’ award. Well, there were reasons for this. 2021 was an extraordinary year and quite a few launches were at the higher end of the market. Secondly, both the winner and the runner-up were exceptionally competent. Nevertheless, there is a clear message for camera manufacturers. Cameras and lenses are getting a tad too expensive and there is a crying need for products at the lower end…

Apple has announced 10 winners of the iPhone Macro Challenge, with finalists from China, Hungary, India, Italy, Spain, Thailand and the US. According to the company, the winning images demonstrate that the beauty of macro photography is its ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary and capture the little things in a big way. Photos include nature shots like dewdrops on a spiderweb, snowflakes on a dog’s hair, a cavernous hibiscus flower and a strawberry engulfed in tiny soda water bubbles. An international panel of judges consisting of Anand Varma, Apeksha Maker, Peter McKinnon, Paddy Chao, Yik Keat Lee, Arem Duplessis, Billy Sorrentino, Della Huff, Kaiann Drance and Pamela Chen selected the winning images and shared some insight on why they love these shots. The winning images include “Sea…

TTartisan has revealed a new Leica M-mount to Sony E-mount adapter. According to reports, the adapter supports all modern and legacy M-mount lenses. A rotary dial has been placed on the barrel of the adapter and is used to select the focal length of the attached lens so that information is passed to the Sony E-mount camera for IBIS support and EXIF data. The adapter has been encoded with a set of common focal lengths which can be selected by the user via the rotary dial, when a lens is attached. So far, the company has not revealed the exact range of focal lengths that will be included, but, rumours suggest that it may range between 135 mm and 90 mm. The adapter is also reported to have a 6-bit…

MS Optics has released its latest hand-crafted lens, the Sonnetar 50 mm f/1.3 for Leica M-mount cameras. The lens features a Sonnar optical design that includes 5 elements in 4 groups. These elements are multi-coated and are reported to offer 97% light transmission. The lens has a 14-blade aperture diaphragm, an aperture range of f/1.3 to f/16 and offers a minimum focussing distance of 80 cm. This lens sports a compact body design, measures 49 mm in diameter, 36 mm in length and weighs 143 g (when the lens hood is attached). The MS Optics Sonnetar 50 mm f/1.3 lens for Leica M-mount cameras is available for purchase at a price of JPY 1,15,900 (approx. INR 70,000).…

Panasonic has announced the launch of Conductive Ventures III, with a commitment of USD 200 million, a USD 50 M increase from the second fund. Headquartered in California, Conductive Ventures III will invest in early-stage startups in software, hardware, technology-enabled services and blockchain technologies with thematic areas including artificial intelligence, financial technology, digital health and future of work, among others. The firm also has had seven exits to date, including three initial public offerings from Desktop Metal (DM), Proterra (PTRA) and Sprinklr (CXM), a coin distribution from Rally and M&A exits from Dor (acquired by Constellation Network), Oculii (acquired by Ambarella (AMBA)) and Travelbank (acquired by US Bank (USB)). “We are fortunate to partner with Panasonic. Having them consistently increase their capital commitment in each fund demonstrates their continued support…

Panasonic has announced its commitment to create impact that reduces CO2 emissions by more than 300 million tons, or about 1% of the current total global emissions of 33 billion tons by 2050. Established in 2017, the Panasonic Environmental Vision 2050 aimed to reduce energy consumption and generate a surplus of clean energy. The company reports that it has decided to replace its energy-focussed targets with CO2 reduction goals in order to tackle global environmental issues. The four goals of Panasonic Green Impact of the new long-term environmental vision have been set by reviewing impacts in four categories based on the scope, method and time frame of CO2 reduction. The first impact includes emissions reduction in the value chain by focussing on areas including lighting, air conditioning and ventilation. The…

Nikhel is a travel and landscape photographer from Mumbai, working as a Regulatory Affairs Manager in the pharmaceutical industry. He says “I believe that capturing a good image is a way to stop the moment from running away. My journey into photography started 10 years ago. My passion for photography was fuelled during my trip to Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary in 2011. Seeking to expand my knowledge and cultivate strong technical and aesthetic skills, I started to explore nearby places with the intent of taking good pictures. In India, there is so much of natural beauty that it is difficult not to notice it. Having travelled to multiple states in the past few years, I have had the opportunity to photograph some of the most captivating and alluring destinations throughout India.”…

The Instagram Photo Feature is for all you photographers and photography enthusiasts on Instagram who caught our eye! Follow @spmagazineofficialon Instagram and tag us in your posts to get a chance to be featured in Smart Photography. Soumya is a professional photographer from Mumbai, specialising in baby and maternity photography. She says “Ten years of capturing and creating ‘Priceless Moments’ has been soul satisfying and creatively enriching. Photography is not just about the lens and the lights, but so much about the connection between the photographer and the subject. The best photographs capture the right emotion at the right time. My journey began when I recognised how much I enjoyed clicking kids while I was capturing every little gesture, smile and smirk of my son. That’s when I decided to…

A‘fast’ wide-angle lens is of great value to anyone interested in astro-photography, weddings, architecture, nature, time-lapse, interiors, landscapes and all who love to shoot in low-light situations. While the Nikkor Z 14-30 mm f/4 S serves well most users (and at a lower cost), the Nikkor Z 14-24 mm f/2.8 S – the subject of this review – is one-stop ‘faster’ and hence desirable to those who really need that extra stop. Design & Build Quality The full frame (FX) Nikkor Z 14-24 mm f/2.8 S was announced in 2020. It appears very well made. The lens is lightweight (approximately 650 g). The outer body is made from metal and engineering plastic; the two supplied lens hoods are made from plastic. The manual focus ring is towards the front end.…

Display: 6.7-inch Fluid AMOLED with LTPO Resolution: 3216 X 1440 pixel 525 ppi Cover Glass: Corning Gorilla Glass Operating System: OxygenOS based on Android 12 CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform RAM: 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 Storage: 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 2-LANE Battery: 5,000 mAh Charge adapter: 80W SUPERVOOC Main camera: 48 megapixels, Sony IMX789 1/1.43-inch sensor, OIS, 23 mm equivalent Ultra-Wide camera: 50 megapixels, 150 degree FOV Telephoto camera: 8 megapixels, OIS Flash: Dual LED Autofocus: Multi AF (All pixel omnidirectional PDAF+LAF+CAF) Video: 4K at 30/60/120 fps, 8K at 24 fps, Super Slow Motion:1080p video at 240 fps Front camera: 32 megapixels, Sony IMX 615 sensor, EIS Connectivity: LTE/LTE-A, 4x4 MIMO, 4CA Wi-Fi: 2×2 MIMO, Support 2.4G / 5G support, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.2, support aptX & aptX HD…

WE ARE GLUED TO THE GLOBAL IMAGING INDUSTRY Our team is updated with all the benchmarks and road blocks that the field of photography and imaging across the globe experiences. This helps us record the changes in the global perspective, thus making us the first to predict which products will be a rage in the Indian markets. WE’RE IMPARTIAL Loyalty towards our readers is a given, and their best interests are always on our mind. Every verdict is honest and not influenced by advertisers or personal favourites. So when we say a product is a ‘BEST BUY’, then, it is just that! OUR TESTS ARE CONDUCTED BY EXPERTS All equipment go through a series of tests at the hands of our experts. Our reviewers are experts in the field of…

GoPro has announced the launch of Hero10 Black Bones, which is purpose-built to be an FPV (First Person View) drone camera. It features GoPro’s flagship imaging pipeline, including the GP2 processor and HyperSmooth 4.0. The camera delivers the same image quality and video frame rates as Hero10 Black. “Bones is an important step in our strategy to leverage GoPro’s core camera-technology to produce derivative products that address the needs of a specific audience of customers,” said GoPro Founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman. “Bones delivers Hero10 Black image quality and performance in a lightweight body that is ideal for aerial cinematography.” Weighing in at 54 g, the Hero10 Black Bones is housed in a lightweight, ventilated enclosure featuring the Hero10 Black’s durable replaceable cover lens that can be swapped for third-party…

Nikon has announced the development of the MC-N10 Remote Grip for mirrorless cameras, for which the Nikon Z mount has been adopted. The MC-N10 is an accessory that allows remote control of Nikon Z-mount mirrorless cameras via a wired connection. It can control various functions of Nikon mirrorless cameras, reportedly increasing the efficiency of video recording with a small crew and expanding the possibilities of video recording. It also supports still shooting. The front side of the grip sports an on/off button, a shutter release, [REC] button, an ISO button, an exposure compensation button, a command dial and a pair of function buttons. As of now, no pricing or availability related information has been shared by the company.…

Nikon has announced that its products have received the “Red Dot Award: Product Design 2022”, sponsored by Germany’s Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen. The full-frame/ FX-format mirrorless camera Nikon Z 9 received the “Best of the Best” in the “Red Dot Award: Product Design 2022”. The Red Dot Design Award is a design competition that received entries from around 60 countries and regions, which were judged by a panel of design specialists from around the world based on aspects such as degree of innovation, functionality, ergonomics and durability. Winning products will be showcased at the special exhibition to be held at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany.…

Canon recently announced that the company’s interchangeable-lens digital cameras (digital SLR and mirrorless cameras) have maintained the No. 1 share of the global market for 19 consecutive years, from 2003 to 2021. Canon, reportedly, develops the imaging system components featured in its EOS series of digital interchangeable-lens cameras i.e. CMOS image sensors, image processors and interchangeable lenses, under the core concept of “Speed, Comfort and High Image Quality.” Canon says that it aims to support the diverse needs of customers by putting together a wide-ranging product lineup, from flagship models to entry-level models, as well as a selection of RF and EF series lenses. The company further says that it will continue to refine its diverse imaging technologies based on its core optical technology while further strengthening and expanding the…

Realme has announced the introduction of Realme GT 2 as a part of its 4th anniversary sale. The smartphone uses Samsung E4 luminescent material in the display and bio-based polymer Paper Tech Master design co-created by Realme Design Studio and Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa. Commenting on the anniversary sale announcement, Madhav Sheth, CEO Realme India, VP, Realme, and President, Realme International Business Group said, “On the occasion of Realme’s 4th anniversary, we are excited to introduce Realme GT 2 to our users in India. Realme GT 2, a performance flagship product by Realme will offer a leap forward experience to users. The smartphone comes with Qualcomm SD 888 5G flagship processor, industry-leading Samsung E4 luminescent material, first biopolymer smartphone design along with other advanced technology with amazing sales offers for…

Vinodhini is the founder and photographer of Vinu’s Images, a maternity, newborn and family photography service with operations in Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Chennai. She is a certified photographer from Delhi College of Photography and an internationally certified newborn photographer by the Academy of Newborn Photography. Her work has been published in international magazines like Bump, Baby and Beyond and Poise International as well as a few national publications. She was awarded the Star Women Award 2021 by India Turns Pink and has won recognition in TAFVA. Her work has been exhibited in Pan India Exhibition 2022 for artists and entrepreneurs, presented by Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA).…

Type/Format: Nikon Z mount/FX 35 mm Focal length: 14-24 mm Aperture range: f/2.8-22 Lens construction: 16 elements in 11 groups (includes 4 ED elements, 3 Aspherical elements, elements with Nano Crystal and ARNEO coats, and a fluorine-coated front lens element) Angle of view: FX: 114° - 84°; DX: 90° - 61° Focussing system: Internal Min. focus distance: 0.28 m (0.92 ft) from focal plane, at all zoom positions Max. reproduction ratio: 1:7.7 (0.13x) at 24 mm setting No. of diaphragm blades: 9 (rounded diaphragm) Filter slot: Located at the rear of the lens Dimensions: Approx. 88.5 (D) x 124.5 mm (L) Weight: 650 g…

Write to us at: Smart Photography, Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400 013 E-mail: sp@nextgenpublishing.net A joy to read Dear Editor, Like always, the latest issue was a joy to read. I enjoyed going through the process of finding out which cameras, accessories and devices made the cut and which ones took the cake. I am yet to have a hands- on experience with the Z9 and I can’t wait to try out the other devices as well. Regards, Nikhil Pawar Spreading this message through your magazine Dear SP, I am a photography lover and try to follow the latest news and devices as much as I can. Off-late, I couldn’t help…

Cosina recently revealed the details of Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50 mm f/2 Aspherical lens. The lens’ optical design consists of 10 elements in 8 groups that include 2 low-dispersion elements, 2 double-sided aspherical elements and 1 floating element. It has a 12-blade aperture diaphragm and features an aperture range of f/2 to f/16. It has a minimum focussing distance of 45 cm, uses a 52 mm front filter thread and features a focussing ring that drives an all-metal helicoid focussing unit inside the lens. The lens comes with a chip that enables communication between the lens and camera body, and is compatible with Z-mount cameras. It provides EXIF data, comes with in-body image stabilisation and supports various focus functions, thanks to Cosina’s agreement with Nikon. The Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50 mm f/2…

Lexar’s has announced its Diamond series of CFexpress Type-B cards, along with a new set of Gold series CFexpress Type-A cards. According to Lexar, the Diamond Series cards offer read speeds of up to 1,900MB/s and write speeds of up to 1,700MB/s. The cards are VPG 400 certified, making them ideal for recording up to 8K Raw video internally. They are also reported to be shock and vibration proof, enabling them to work under intense environments, within a temperature range of -10°C to 70°C. Their latest Gold Series CFexpress Type-A cards come with read and write speeds of 900MB/s and 700MB/s, respectively. These cards are also rated for VPG 400 performance. According to reports, both series of cards are under development as of now and are expected to be available…

Fujifilm responded to the recent rise in raw material prices, transportation costs, etc., as well as the decline in demand for photography related products. According to the report released by Fujifilm, the prices of photo films will rise by 20 – 60%, colour photo photographic paper by 10-20%, processing chemicals for colour photography by about 10% while prolab products, printed products and services will experience a rise of 8-94%. The company reports that it has made efforts to absorb costs by improving production efficiency and reducing costs, but since it is difficult to absorb costs only by corporate efforts, they will implement price revisions within these product segments.…

Nikon has announced the release of the Nikkor Z 800 mm f/6.3 VR S, a super-telephoto prime lens that is compatible with full-frame/FX-format mirrorless cameras for which the Nikon Z mount system has been adopted. The development of this lens was announced on December 14, 2021. In addition to the PF lens element, ED glass and SR lens elements have been employed to compensate for chromatic aberration and minimise colour bleeding. It adopts a Nano Crystal coat and the lens’ centre of gravity has been positioned closer to the body side, making it optimal for shooting moving subjects such as airplanes. Its focal length can be extended to 1,120 mm with the Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x, and 1,600 mm with the Z Teleconverter TC-2.0x. Additionally, its focal length can also be…

Regarding the strategic investments in Epic Games, previously announced on July 9, 2020 and April 13, 2021, Sony has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to execute an additional strategic investment of approximately 1 billion U.S. dollars in Epic through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sony Corporation of America. This additional investment is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Through this additional investment, Sony aims to further expand and deepen areas of collaboration between the two companies, promoting further exploration of opportunities leading to new value creation, primarily in the area of entertainment. According to Sony, this additional investment is not anticipated to have a material impact on its consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023.…

Nikon has announced the release of firmware version 2.00 for its flagship full-frame/FX-format mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z 9, and firmware version 1.40 for its full-frame/FX-format mirrorless cameras, the Nikon Z 7II and Nikon Z 6II. Firmware version 2.00 for the Z 9 will support in-camera recording of Raw video including over 8K. In addition to 12-bit Raw 8.3K/60p in-camera recording for tonal gradation, various video features will also be added to meet video production needs. For still shooting, it also introduces the Pre-Release Capture option that records images for up to one second before the shutter-release button is pressed all the way down after the half press of the button. Furthermore, it has adopted the Custom Wide-Area AF option that supports various AF-area arrangement patterns. In addition, some functions…

Amit is a professional photographer based in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. He says, “Photography started as a hobby for me but it soon turned into my passion and now I am full time photographer with many awards, publications and projects under my belt. My achievements include winning the ‘Colours of Macao’ Photography Contest organised by Nat Geo Traveller India in 2016, winning the Artistique Photography Contest organised by Asian Photography Magazine (under the theme Black & White, 2017-18), 1st prize in 7th National Photography Competition awarded by Jual Oram, Minister for Tribal Affairs (Govt of India, January 2018), Right Xposure Photographer of The Year 2020 Award, Vision 2020 Photo Competition organised by Pangolin Photo Safaris (Botswana, South Africa, May 2020) and many more. I have also been on photography assignments in…

Ashok Kandimalla has been in the photographic field for over three decades and has extensive experience in both film and digital photography. Being an electronics engineer by profession and a photographer, he possesses a unique and deep insight into the technical aspects of digital photography and equipment. He has published more than a 100 articles on photography and some of his writings have also been published in the well-known international magazine Popular Photography. An avid collector of photographic books and vintage cameras, Ashok has a keen interest in the history of photography and a passion for sharing his knowledge on photography through teaching and writing. He is the only Indian photographer to be featured on the Nikon Centenary website. He is presently working as a Management and Engineering consutant. He…

Smartphones have once again become monotonous and less exciting to review, thanks to an unprecedented merging of features between sub-brands of the same parent brand. The similarity in UI has become pronounced among OnePlus, Oppo and Realme. The fact that devices with similar specs launch in succession does not help. I took up the OnePlus 10 Pro immediately after the Realme GT 2 Pro, and it felt like déjà vu, and you may feel the same if you ignore the difference in icon sets and hardware-specific menus. Design & Build Quality The OnePlus designs have always been simple and classic, rather than bold and flashy, and the 10 Pro is no different. The three large lenses and an LED flash dominate the back, proudly flaunting the Hasselblad logo by the…

Old flagship smartphone manufacturers have had their eyes firmly fixed at the ultra-premium segment with brands like Samsung moving to the one-lakh-plus space. Players like Realme and Xiaomi have upped their games to squeeze into the 50k+ space with features comparable to flagships. We were thoroughly impressed with the Realme GT, and now the brand has launched the GT 2 Pro, a true flagship killer going by the features. Design & Build Quality The Realme GT 2 Pro is beautifully designed, and it gives that premium feel right out of the box. The device is available in three finishes—Paper Green, Paper White and Steel Black, and we received the Paper White variant. Like the GT, this device is designed by renowned industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa, and bears his signature on…

1 Mamiya, the Japanese company that made medium format cameras is now owned by : a) Phase One b) Cosina c) Hasselblad d) Fujifilm 2 How many cameras does the iPhone 13 Pro Max have? a) 4 b) 3 c) 2 d) 1 3 What is the top continuous shooting speed of the SP Camera of the Year, the Nikon Z 9? a) 20 fps b) 30 fps c) 60 fps d) 120 fps 4 ISO 3200 is how many stops more sensitive than ISO 100? a) 6 b) 5 c) 4 d) 7 5 What does the ‘M’ stand for in the Leica M series? a) Manual b) Mirrorless c) Miniscule d) Messesucher 6 Which of the following is a pioneering manufacturer of high resolution cinema cameras? a) Red…